Russia to increase its Tu-160M2 fleet and to upgrade its Tu-160M.

The Russian armed forces will get four new strategic Tu-160M2 bombers by 2023, Kazan Aircraft Plant reported to Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. Meanwhile, the first upgraded serial strategic Tu-160M bomber will be supplied in 2021, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said.

Tu-160M bomber aircraft (Picture source : Air Recognition)

The Russian armed forces will get four new strategic Tu-160M2 bombers by 2023, Kazan Aircraft Plant reported to Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

Tu-160M2 is a completely new aircraft with unprecedented technical and tactical characteristics and no rivals are expected in the foreseeable future. The first aircraft with the glider made in Soviet times is already flying. Three absolutely new Tu-160M2 will be handed over to the customer by late 2022. The plant is also upgrading Tu-160 bombers to the Tu-160M level and Tu-22M3 to the level of Tu-22M3M with improved combat characteristics. All work proceeds as scheduled, the enterprise said.

Tu-160M2 bomber aircraft (Picture source : The Drive)

The first upgraded serial strategic Tu-160M bomber will be supplied in 2021, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said. "The work to produce TU-160M in a new concept proceeds as scheduled. The first serial aircraft which has no analogues in the world is to be supplied in 2021," he said in Kazan at a conference on the maintenance of air hardware.

Kazan Aircraft Plant resumed the production of upgraded Tu-160M bomber. "It will have the latest onboard equipment, modern jam-resistant communications, unique weapons to expand combat capabilities in engaging conventional and nuclear weapons. The aircraft will have NK-32 engines of the second series to increase the range and flight duration," Shoigu said.

Enterprises in Tatarstan implement dozens of other projects for the armed forces. "The Defense Ministry invests major funds into the regional economy to promote its development, job creation and higher living standards. The republican leadership resolves social problems of the military and their families. We hope it will continue," the minister said.

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